October 5, 2010
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia– The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, congratulates marine scientists from around the world on the completion of a global Census of Marine Life. The census was conducted by researchers from more than 80 countries who have worked to develop the first comprehensive world-wide catalogue of marine life. The ten-year initiative culminated yesterday with the international release of the results of the census in London, England.
"The Census of Marine Life will greatly advance our understanding of marine species and their habitats, both in Canada and around the world," said Minister Shea. "I would like to congratulate the many scientists from Canada and around the world who have worked together to make this exceptional initiative a reality. The findings of the census will help to ensure that our efforts to sustain fisheries and conserve marine ecosystems are guided by the most complete scientific information," she continued.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is one of the many partners in the initiative that involved scientists from governments, industry, universities and various non-government organizations. DFO scientists participated in the planning and coordination of the census and in the completion of specific research projects to contribute to the census. As a result, many new species have been identified and a more detailed understanding of biodiversity and habitat has been gained.
For example, over the past decade DFO scientists and academia have conducted four scientific missions in the Gulf of Maine Biodiversity Discovery Corridor, a large swath of ocean that extends from the shores of New Brunswick out into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean off Nova Scotia. These missions used state of the art technology, such as the Canadian remotely operated vehicle ROPOS, to reach new depths and locations in the Gulf of Maine and adjacent slope waters. The results of these missions contributed to the global Census of Marine Life. DFO scientist Dr. Peter Lawton, who led these missions, was in London today to take part in the release of the census.
The project was conceived with major financial support from the Sloan Foundation, a New York-based non-profit organization.
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For more information:
For more information on the Census for Marine Life visit: www.coml.org/
DFO Communications Branch
Maritimes Region
(902) 426-3550
CommEnquire@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
NR-MAR-10-07E
